Brewers convention to feature beer collectibles show Aug. 2

Since 1972, the National Association Breweriana Advertising (NABA) has been an advocate for more than simply tipping back pints of ales and lagers. For NABA, the fanaticism doesn’t end when the bottle is empty; instead, it’s just the beginning.

National Association Breweriana Advertising (NABA) Trade Show

From July 29 through August 2, NABA will be hosting its 43rd annual convention at the Toledo Grand Plaza Hotel. The public show and sale, one of the hallmarks of the convention, is free for the public and will be held on Saturday, August 2from 7-9 am at the Toledo Grand Plaza Hotel on 444 N. Summit Street. According to NABA President George Baley, attendees will find an array of breweriana spanning decades of brewery history.

“Our focus is on mirrors, trays, signs, labels, lithographs, statues, and most anything you can think of,” Baley said. “While the majority of items are older, we have seen a lot more microbrewery items in the past 5 years. A lot of the new people coming to the shows collect a lot of microbrewery items, but the majority of the people still look for older items.”

Formed in Milwaukee by a group of Midwesterners, NABA typically holds its conventions in a Midwest city. According to Baley, there are a couple important criteria when determining a location.

“We want a city that has a good, strong base of collectors of brewery items,” Baley said. “Also, Toledo has a great brewing history, of which Buckeye is probably the most famous of the group. Holding the convention in Toledo seemed like a natural fit.”

As part of the overall convention, NABA members will tour Toledo’s brewery sites, visit the homes of local collectors, and will also have a brewmaster’s dinner featuring Maumee Bay Brewing Company beers. According to Baley, this area of the Midwest is specifically ripe with beer enthusiasm.

“We draw very well from Michigan and Ohio for our conventions,” Baley said. “About 45 members are coming from the Michigan area alone for the entire convention.”

Approximately 300 members have registered for the convention and Baley expects more than 500 additional people from the community will attend Saturday’s public show and sale. According to Tony Vetter, Director of Sales for Destination Toledo, the convention will bring approximately $90,000 into the Toledo community, which doesn’t include the economic impact of the local population coming to the Saturday show. For Vetter, the convention provides another benefit for the Toledo community.

“It’s a great opportunity to bring a national association to the Toledo market,” Vetter said. “It brings more people to the Toledo area to see what we have and hopefully have them come back for future events.”

According to Baley, Toledo has made an excellent impression thus far.

“Toledo’s Grand Plaza Hotel is probably one of the best facilities we’ve had for one of our conventions,” Baley said. “Between the ballroom and the hospitality suite on the 13th floor with great views of the city, it’s a really nice venue.”

Membership for NABA is $25 annually until July 31st and $30 afterwards. While Saturday’s public show is free and open to the public, member pay $75 to attend the rest of the convention, which includes a number of perks such as hotel accommodations at a reduced price and all the beer you can drink in the member’s hospitality suite. To learn more about NABA and the convention in Toledo, visit www.naba.wildapricot.org.